Downfall
Downfall is an essay by Striderwannabe which is a brief overview of the forces which caused Nordreich to fall on May 2, 2007. It is not meant to provide an absolute answer as to why it happened, but instead create an understanding about why some did what they did and what caused certain things to be done. It is divided into separate sections titled “Studies”, as each section looks at a separate element of the Fall. These are all summarized in the essay’s conclusion and used to create a more thorough picture of history on that day. Study I – On Internal Division After the Third Great War, Nordreich was ravaged by internal divisions within its government. The primary issue which divided the group was to what extent the alliance should tolerate the free speech of a few members. Given the theme of Nordreich as a Nordic militaristic alliance, a small number of members saw the place as a community which would tolerate, or perhaps embrace, racialist ideologies. Tensions were formed along the lines of those who wished to create a bastion of free speech for those members, even if they did not agree with the ideologies themselves, and those who wanted to avoid the headaches caused by allowing such expression. Study II – On External Pressures These headaches came in the form of pressure and criticism from foreign powers; not only were their recently defeated enemies quick to call upon what they saw as faults, but even Nordreich’s own allies were increasingly clear that they were not entirely happy with some aspects of the alliance. As a member of the Initiative, Nordreich was bound to the most powerful forces in the game and as a result was determined not to undermine that relationship. The most pressure came from the de facto leader of the Initiative, the New Pacific Order; as stagnation settled in following the Third Great War, the NPO began questioning Nordreich about rumors regarding a large white supremacist influence within the alliance. These rumors were false, having no evidence or foundation to prove Nordreich’s government as a recruitment force for any real life political movement. Despite this fact, its allies in the Initiative began to follow the New Pacific Order in demanding that they be addressed. More specifically, these demands insisted that certain outspoken members were part of the problem; it was the case that a fraction of members posted links within their profiles to websites representing right-wing or fascist political movements. While no specific demands were made to remove them, it was heavily suggested that Nordreich’s position in the Initiative was in peril. Study III – On Communication Breakdown Several founding members of Nordreich clashed with the diplomats and officials who feared isolation, or worse, destruction. Their argument was that Nordreich members should be protected from outside opinion which commonly did not agree with, or even seek to understand, them. This argument got rapport from much of the membership, due to the value of the community itself in their minds. Still, as complaints from allied powers grew more and more frequent, those who heard them on a daily basis began to discuss among themselves what was to be done. It was believed that Nordreich was being marched towards its death by people who didn’t see it coming. Furthermore, it was believed that those in favor of absolute free speech for Nordreich members wouldn’t advocate such a position if faced with the mounting hostility from other forces. In all, communication in the government of Nordreich broke down due to the unwillingness of both sides to listen to one another, because both believed themselves to be in the absolute right. One individual who perhaps could have absolved this disunion was Magnus Nordir. Having served a successful term as Kaiser during the Second Great War, he was highly respected by all parties in the Reich and someone who had always reconciled internal disagreements such as this before. At this time, however, Nordir was unable to serve actively and so his influence was not present to pacify the quickly escalating situation. Study IV – On Taking Action In the closing days of April, Kaiser Martens began holding informal meetings with members of the government who believed the alliance was headed in a bad direction. Two main concerns underlined these meetings: 1) The alliance forums were held by Sigmund Ceowulf, an outspoken supporter of the right to free speech being allowed on them. 2) Humanophage, Nordreich Minister of Propaganda, had undergone recent criticism for particular pieces of work he had produced on Nordreich’s behalf and the “University of White Art”, the web gallery where Nordreich's visual media was held. In addition, the concerns regarding these two individuals allegedly abetting ideologically dangerous individuals within Nordreich itself was implanted in the minds of government officials by foreign allies. While there was no concrete proof to support these claims, it was enough for Kaiser Martens and the majority of his government to decide their course of action. Study V – On May 1, 2007 On the basis of the forum control wielded by Sigmund, a large fraction of the Nordreich government decided to forcibly relocate the forums to another site, and call for those loyal to them to follow. Furthermore, they sought to cripple any backlash from those they were ousting as perceived threats to Nordreich by destroying the alliance forums they were leaving. The public announcement concerning the expulsion of Sigmund and Humanophage was issued by then-Reichsgeneral Leviathan XIII. In a statement titled “Deutsche Treue” (German Honor) he stated that any entity offering aid or haven to either would have “declared war on Nordreich itself”. Sigmund was accused of undermining the alliance by “plotting to overthrow the rightful leaders of Nordreich and replace them with a government sympathetic to his racist views” and Humanophage was declared to be “complicit in this agenda”. The statement was approved and signed by almost all of the remaining government at the time, rallying around Kaiser Martens as the true leader of Nordreich. Study VI – On Consequence The fallout was quick and devastating. Nordreich members, unexposed to the internal divisions which had shattered their alliance, were quick to question the decision to expel two of their own. Many senior members, including former Reichskaiser Magnus Nordir, declared that the decision was a grave mistake; great strength for this argument came from the tradition of brotherhood and loyalty between the members of Nordreich. For many, the expulsions of two senior members on the basis of public opinion, as was the case, was the greatest perceivable blasphemy against the very spirit of Nordreich. Within 24 hours of the public announcement, the alliance was splintered. A great many Nordlanders rallied around the expelled officers, demanding that they be fully reinstated and that the government reverse its decision. At this time, however, the decision had already established its long term consequence, and the remaining government of Nordreich was attempting to pick up the pieces of the empire that was falling apart around them. Study VII – New Beginnings: The Origin of Norden Verein With its ranks divided and the world watching, the government of Nordreich turned to their allies for advice, the same people who had been calling for the expulsions which had led to such disaster. It was stated that the Nordreich had too much controversy in its past that ultimately crippled its standing in the eyes of the world. However, observing the scores of members who had followed Martens and his government, it was suggested that a new alliance be formed that could exist outside of the infamy of Nordreich. Martens and his government were hesitant to effectively disband the alliance which all of them had poured so much effort into over the previous seven months. It was stated though that it was the common belief of Nordreich’s Initiative allies that the only way for a majority of Nordreich’s members to survive was to establish a new alliance apart from the old. On May 2, 2007 a public announcement was issued outlining the capitulation of the recognized government of Nordreich. Within it, Kaiser Martens stated that his vision of Nordreich had failed and that he now wished to put an end to it. In his last Kaiserlich decree, Martens removed the alliance from the Initiative. Finally, he announced that those who followed him would be the foundation of a new alliance which would adhere to a pan-European vision to avoid the pitfalls of the now shattered Nordreich. Thus, Norden Verein was born. Conclusion Much has been discussed since the Fall, most of it meaningfully spoken between those who found themselves on different sides that day. Some expressed regret, others anger over what was viewed as an injustice. Still, history continued for a time without Nordreich. Several members who were reluctant to follow Martens at first found their way to Norden Verein at some point or another, and were excited to find many of their old comrades mixed in with a newer generation. Norden Verein, however, failed to be as strong as its predecessor was and eventually fell apart itself. Still, it had granted the community a haven so that it did not fall alongside the Reich. The bond of brotherhood persisted for all of its members, and even in the final days of the Verein old friends sought each other out in discussions revolving around a possible Nordreich resurrection. This rebirth was made possible on May 6, 2009 due to a great shift in the political environment. Two years after the fall, it was possible for members from all sides of that great disaster to unite and put the past behind them in order to build a brighter future for an alliance they all equally valued as Nordlanders. The Fall is part of history but certainly should never be forgotten by any citizen of Nordreich, lest the mistakes of the past become part of the present for our new generation. Category:Nordreich Category:Norden Verein